Letter card



Oct. 15, 1935. R. M. SMITH LETTER CARD Filed Oct. 25, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 1 a/v R Y m mm Fw m g l w a N A u m u E u w m R I w L Oct.15, 1935. R. M. SMITH 2,017,637

LETTER CARD Filed Oct. 25, 1933' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR. ROBERT M.SM/TH W 9W9 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED SATE 4 Claims.

The invention relates to a letter card for mailmg.

An object of the invention is to provide a generally improved lettercard for folding to completely conceal confidential information directlyinscribed thereon.

Another object is the provision of a letter card which provides a closedenvelope when it is in condition for mailing.

A further object is to provide for the retention of the present card infully folded condition solely by means provided by the card.

Yet another object is to provide for preventing an inspection of themessage on the card by use of the postage stamp which pays for thetransmission of the card.

An added object is the production of inexpensive letter cards whichpresent a particularly attractive appearance while accomplishing variousdesired objects.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of preferred embodiments of the invention whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an inside face View of a blank from which a letter cardembodying my invention may be formed.

Figure 2 is a face view of a letter card which has been formed from theblank of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the letter card in partly folded condition, the flexingof one member and the use of a persons hands in folding the letter cardbeing indicated in the view.

Figure 4 shows the address side of the card after it has been completelyfolded and has had a postage stamp afiixed to it for retaining it infolded condition and paying the postage for its transmission through themails.

Figure 5 is a section at 5-5 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an inside face view of a blank for producing another form;of a letter card embodying my invention.

Figure 7 is a view of a letter card which has been formed with the blankof Figure 6, said card shown as in partly folded condition.

Figure 8 discloses the letter card of Figure 7 as the final foldingoperation is being effected.

Figure 9 is a section at 99 in Figure 8.

Figure 10 shows the card of Figure '7-in fully folded condition and ashaving a postage stamp affixed thereto whereby it is sealed and readyfor mailing.

Figure 11 is a section at l l-l l in Figure 10.

In providing a letter card embodying the features of present invention,I employ a sheet of relatively stiff heavy paper or thin cardboard, thesurface of said sheet being finished and/or decorated in any suitablemanner, and the sheet 5 comprising a generally rectangular blank. Such asheet is suitably scored to define the fold lines for hingedly relatedportions which are arranged to be placed in opposition when the lettercard is folded. One of said blank portions is formed 1 for shaping intoa permanent L-shaped pocket extending along two free edges thereof andhaving its ends closed and extending for short distances along the othertwo edges of the portion, said pocket arranged to receive free edgeparts 15 of the other portion when the card is folded, and the latterportion being arranged for flexing into its engagement in the pocketwhereby the letter card may thereby be maintained in its foldedcondition. For descriptive convenience, and in accordance with thespecific disclosures of the accompanying drawings, the letter cardportion providing the L-shaped pocket may be referred to as comprising aback member of the letter card, while the other portion provides a frontmember of the letter card. Referring specifically to the embodiment ofFigures 1 to 5 inclusive, a letter card II is shown as formed from ablank i2 to provide front and back members it! and M respectively. Themembers i3 and i l are coterminous at a fold line l5 which may bedefined in the blank i2.by scoring, said line defining what may bedescribed as the bottom edge of the letter card when the members l3 andM are folded together. That portion of the blank which provides themember I4 is scored for folding at lines 56 and I! and I8 to define arectangular area based on the line i5 and lying generally within thearea of said blank part whereby to provide a plurality of fiap portionsextending outwardly of the score lines and for folding thereat over saidrectangular area. As shown in Figure 1, flaps l9 and 20 extend respectively from the score lines Iii and ii, and flaps 2| and 22 extendfrom the score line I8. In general outline, the member I4 is ofsubstantially 4 the same size and proportions as the rectangle of thescore lines, and a slit24 extends obliquely into the portion M from theedge thereof which is in general alignment with the score line l6 and to5 the line l5 whereby a flap 23 in the shape of a right triangle isdefined outwardly of the latter line and as part of the member 13. Theupper lines of the flaps l9 and 2| are in general alignment with thescore line H, and the flap 2| is i seen to comprise a right triangle inoutline with a narrow slit separating it from the flap 22, said slitterminating at a point in the line I8.

It will now be noted that the various flaps I9 to 23 inclusive areutilized, in cooperation with the rectangular central part 26 of themember I 4 within the score lines I5 to I8 inclusive, to provide anL-shaped pocket 21 for receiving free edge parts of the member I3 as aretaining means for the latter member. For forming one end of saidpocket, the flap 23 may be folded over the part 26 and the flap I9 thenfolded over said part with a lower portion of the last fiap overlappingand fixed to the flap 23. To complete the pocket 21, the flap 2| isfolded over the part 26 and the fiap20 is then folded over said part tooverlie both the flap 2| and the upper end of the fiap I9, theoverlapped flap portions being suitably fixed together thereat. It isnoted that the present arrangement of the flaps effects a closure of thepocket ends at the fold lines I5 and I8.

Means are provided for fixing the various flaps together at theiroverlapped portions. As indicated in Figure 1, areas of adhesive 28 maybe provided at the inside faces of the lower end of the flap I9 and atboth ends of the flap 20 whereby to provide the pocket 21 as a permanentpart of the letter card structure when the pocket has once been formedas indicated. The letter card may be supplied to the user in the form ofthe blank of Figure l, or with the pocket formed as in Figure 2. It willbe understood that the member I4 comprises the flaps I9 to 23 inclusiveand the part 26.

, a written or printed message and at the same time expose a maximumarea of the outer face of the front member I3 for receiving the name andaddress of an addressee for the letter car'd. Furthermore, the member I3must be flexed in the general manner indicated in Figure 3 for effectingits engagement in the pocket 21. Accordingly, the pocket 21 ispreferably given the general shape shown in Figure 2 by appropriatelyshaping the flaps I9 and 23 so that pocket edges 3| and 32 providedthereby define an obtuse angle of the order of one hundred ten degreesopposite the corner defined at the intersection of the fold lines I5 andI8, and extend toward the corners defined by the intersections of thefold lines I6 and I! with the fold lines I5 and I8 respectively; theflaps I9 and 20, it is noted, are appropriately widened adjacent thelatter corners for covering the triangular flaps 23 and 2| respectivelyto which they are secured. For further facilitating the insertion of thefront member I3 in its place, the latter may have corner portionsthereof cut away in the manner particularly brought out in Figures 1 to3 inclusive.

When the member I3 has been disposed in fiat condition against themember I4, and with its edges within the pocket 21, the flap 22 isfolded over it whereby all the free edge portions of the member arecovered and the space defined between the members is closed at all sidesthereof. In this manner, any message on the inner faces of the membersmay not be exposed to View without disengaging the member I3 from thepocket 21, and the space between the members might be arate paper orcard or other object.

Preferably, and as shown in Figure 4, the opposed edges of the fiaps 2i)and 22 are arranged for complementary fitting in mutually coplanarrelation, and the adhesive application of a sealing member 33 to andacross said flaps at their 5 abutment completes such an imprisonment ofthe member I3 as to require a breaking of the sealing means 33 to permita removal of the member from within the pocket means defined beneath thevarious flaps. It will thus be under- 10 stood that the present lettercard possesses all the advantages of a sealed envelope while it at thesame time provides an inner writing surface which has substantiallytwice the area of the folded structure. Furthermore, the front mem- 15ber I3 is not fixed to any other element of the structure of which it isa part whereby the present letter card need not be mutilated in openingit and thus lends itself to use for souvenir or advertising cardpurposes.

The sealing member 33 may be a postage stamp, as is particularlyindicated; in this case, the address would be written on the outer faceof the member I3 at the place provided therefor. With the stamp andaddress at the outer face of the 25 member I3, the outer face of themember I4 may have a picture or other decoration (not Shown) printed orotherwise afiixed thereon. While the stamp 33 is particularly shown asoverlying a W portion of the member I3 as well as the fiaps 3'0 23 and22 whereby it may be adherent to the member, said stamp need not beadherent to the member and may be placed closer to the adjacent cornerof the letter card structure for overlying only the flaps thereat; itwill be understood 35 that under these conditions the functions of thepocket 21 and the effective extension of said pocket provided beneaththe flap 22 are not impaired. p

The letter card 61 of Figures 6 to 11 inclusive 4 is designed primarilyto provide a substantially quadrupled message surface with respect to agiven size of folded card. This embodiment is arranged for shaping froma blank 62 and comprises front and back members 63 and 64 provided bysaid blank. In the present instance, however, fold lines 55 and 66intersect centrally of the blank whereby to divide the same intogenerally rectangular parts 61, 68, 59 and 111. Flap portions 12, 13, 14and 15 are provided along the free edges of the part 51, said flapsrespectively corresponding to the flaps 23, I9, 20 and 2I of the firstembodiment and arranged for fixing together in overlapped relation toprovide a pocket 16 which is similar in shape and function to the pocket21 and therefore needs no further description as to the provisionthereof. The part 61 and its attached flaps are understood to jointlyprovide the member 64.

It will now be noted that the blank parts 68 and 69 and 10 togetherprovide the member 63 whereby such member is L-shaped with its innerline defined at the portions of the fold lines 65 and 66 which bound thepart 61. When a message has been written or otherwise provided on 65 themessage area jointly defined by the inner faces of the parts 61 to 10inclusive, the parts 68 and 69 are first folded over the parts 61 and 10at the line 66 to lie fiat against the latter parts. To facilitate thedisposal of the part 68 flat against '70 the part 61, the former ispreferably reduced in size whereby it may not overlap the pocket-formingflaps of the part 61, the relation being shown in Figures 7 and 8. .Itis noted that the part 68 corresponds in function to the fiap 22 of thefirst embodiment, in that it closes the side of the space definedbetween it and the part 61.

Having the parts related as in Figure '7, the mutually engaged parts 69and 10 are then folded upwardly at the line 65, and in the manner of aflap, for insertion of the free edges of the part 10 in the pocket 16 tothen overlie the parts 61 and 68. The flap comprising the parts 61 and68 must be flexed into place as is indicated in Figure 8, after whichthe application of a stamp T! to and between the outer faces of thepocket fiap l4 and the part 10 secures the letter card against openingwithout first breaking the stamp.

It will now be noted that if a stamp 17 be so placed on the letter card6| as not to connect parts of the members 63 and 64 thereof, the member63 will still be retained in the pocket 75 by reason of its necessaryflexing into place, whereby, under these circumstances, a lower rate ofpostage may be used for transmitting the letter card. A similarsituation may obtain for the letter card II, it being noted that thefiap 22 would then be folded beneath the edge of the member I 3 thereator omitted from the structure. In either case, the pocket provided onone member of the letter card will normally retain therein the edgeportions of the other member.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operationwill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which theinvention appertains( and while I have described the principle ofoperation, together with devices which I now consider to be preferredembodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that the embodimentsshown are merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made, whendesired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. A letter card provided with front and back members of rectangularoutline and hingedly connected at a common edge thereof, a said memberhaving four mutually independent marginal extensions thereof foldedsolely over its inner face and permanently secured together tocooperatively provide an L-shaped pocket having closed ends andextending along coterminous edges of the member for receiving thecorresponding side edge parts of the other member.

2. A letter card provided with front and back members hingedly connectedat a common edge thereof, a said member having four mutually independentmarginal extensions thereof folded solely over its inner face andpermanently secured together to cooperatively provide the front of anL-shaped pocket having closed ends and extending along coterminous edgesof the member for receiving the corresponding side edge parts of theother member, the free edge line of said pocket front comprising abroken line having successive portions thereof defining obtuse angleswith each other for the purpose described. 3. A letter card providedwith front and back members of rectangular outline and hingedlyconnected at a common edge thereof, a said member having mutuallyindependent marginal extensions of its different edges folded solelyover its inner face and fixed together to cooperatively provide thefront of an L-shaped pocket, having closed ends and extending alongcoterminous edges of the member for receiving the corresponding sideedge parts of the other member, said pocket front tapering in depth froma point opposite the juncture of said coterminous edges of the member topoints adjacent the ends of said edges and being of greatest depth atsaid first point. 4. A letter card provided with front and back membersof generally like and rectangular outline hingedly connected along afirst edge thereof, a said member having mutually independent marginalextensions of its different edges folded over its inner face and fixedtogether to cooperatively provide the front of an L-shaped pocket havingclosed ends and extending along mutually coterminous second and thirdedges of the member for receiving the corresponding side edge parts ofthe other member, a flap element hingedly related to the first member atthe fourth edge thereof and arranged for disposal over the outer face ofthe second member in the pocket as an edge closure for the space betweenthe mem-, bers, said fiap element terminating longitudinally thereof atthe free edge of the pocket front whereby it is arranged to be coplanarwith the pocket front when it overlies the second member, and afracturable sticker element simultaneously adhesive to adjacent portionsof the pocket front and the flap element whereby the flap element isarranged to provide an extension of the pocket front at; the fourth edgeof the first member and the sticker element is alone operative toprevent a displacement of the flap element for permitting a removal ofthe second member from its engagement in the pocket.

ROBERT M. SMITH.

